Black Lion were on top form in the Estadio Nacional Jamor in Lisbon at the weekend to make it two bonus point wins out of two in Pool A in the Rugby Europe Super Cup.
The Georgians headed to Portugal to take on hosts Lusitanos off the back of a victory over Castilla Y Leon Iberians the previous week.
And they won this game too, the final score being 38-14.
The visiting team took the lead after six minutes when hooker Irakli Kvatadze scored a try converted by stand-off Luke Matkava.
By the 19th minute it was 19-0 after second and third tries were added by Black Lion via winger Akaki Tabutsadze and Kvatadze with Matkava converting one.
And, amazingly, by half-time it was 33-0, tries four and five coming from tighthead prop Giorgi Chkhartishvili and back-row Mikheil Gachechiladze both converted by Matkava.
Heading into the second period Lusitanos had a player in the sin bin and things went from bad to worse for them when Tengiz Peranidze scored an unconverted try for Black Lion after just 45 minutes.
Lusitanos were shell shocked and 38-0 down with 25 minutes to go, but they rallied to make the final scored 38-14 thanks to tries from winger Diogo Rodrigues and replacement Duarte Cardoso both converted by full-back Hugo Aubry.
It was most certainly Black Lion’s day though and head coach Richard Cockerill said: “It was a really, really good first half by us and that set up the victory, but in the second half we were poor.”
Lusitanos head coach Simon Mannix said: “We knew this was going to be an extremely tough match against a fully professional outfit and it proved to be.
“There were a lot of positives to take forward though and the team showed great character.”
Meanwhile, in Pool B of the Sauper Cup on Saturday Delta from Netherlands made it two wins from two after an amazing contest with the Romanian Wolves.
In Bucharest, an unconverted try by replacement Fonovai Tangimana looked to have given the Wolves victory as they went 36-34 up, but Delta centre David Weersma had other ideas.
With 30 seconds left on the clock he slotted a drop goal to edge the visitors in front and they held on to win 37-26 in dramatic circumstances.
After the victory at the Stadionul Arcul de Triumf, Delta head coach Lyn Jones said: “We are very pleased, in rugby sometimes you win some and sometimes you lose some, but we played here and deserved the victory by the slimmest of margins.”
Wolves head coach David Gerard said: “We had some good moments in the game and some bad moments in the game, but I think Delta deserved to win and we must keep working hard.”
Brussels Devils got their first win in the section with a bonus point when they defeated Bohemia Rugby Warriors from Czechia 39-15.
At the RC Soignies Stadium, the home side Devils led 20-0 at half-time and that set them up for the triumph.
Sébastien Guns, the Devils head coach, said: “We are pleased with the win and we scored some good tries, but we know we can be better and the start to the second half was poor.”
The Warriors head coach Antonin Brabec said: “We are disappointed because we lost the game, but I am proud of the way the team stood up in the second half.”
In international rugby, at the Széktói Stadium Athletic Centre in Kecskemét on Saturday, Hungary and Austria meet in the first match of the men’s Rugby Europe Conference event for 2024/25.
Austria secured a 39-12 win on the road to gain five points and they are top of Pool B.
In the women’s Rugby Europe Conference Romania and Bulgaria met and the former won it 66-12 in the CSN Elisabeta Lipa.
The rugby action continues next week end. Keep connected
Gary Heatly
